Cost For Alignment

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Trenton

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You posted while I was typing, but yeah it's been wrecked and it doesn't take much to diamond one of these frames.

Yeah, makes sense. I'm sure my truck has a slightly bent frame and caused major alignment issues. The passenger's side camber is maxed out and the driver's side has to be brought almost all the way in to be within spec. The passenger's side also has picky caster procedures because of the camber issue. You can get it aligned properly, just the caster will be steeper than nornal. Believe it or not, it still drives straight and doesn't wander, even with my 6" lift kit lol.
 

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Yeah, makes sense. I'm sure my truck has a slightly bent frame and caused major alignment issues. The passenger's side camber is maxed out and the driver's side has to be brought almost all the way in to be within spec. The passenger's side also has picky caster procedures because of the camber issue. You can get it aligned properly, just the caster will be steeper than nornal. Believe it or not, it still drives straight and doesn't wander, even with my 6" lift kit lol.

Back in the day quite a few guys could tweak one out so they drove straight though there were some issues but we can't get away with this in the collision repair biz anymore. With caster not quite right the turn radius would be off. Maybe some tire scrub in the turns that takes awhile to see on the tire. Not only are you looking for "within spec" you're looking for side to side comparisons. Minimum spec on one side and max specs on the other is a few degrees.
 
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Trenton

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Back in the day quite a few guys could tweak one out so they drove straight though there were some issues but we can't get away with this in the collision repair biz anymore. With caster not quite right the Sai would be off and more then likely the turn radius numbers. maybe some tire scrub in the turns that takes awhile to see on the tire.

Yeah turning radius is affected unfortunately... I think. I drive a crew cab long bed so it has a horrible turning radius, nonetheless. I also do see tire wear, but I go through tires quickly anyway.
 

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Yeah turning radius is affected unfortunately... I think. I drive a crew cab long bed so it has a horrible turning radius, nonetheless. I also do see tire wear, but I go through tires quickly anyway.
LOL I'm not talking about the distance it takes to turn your truck around. The inside tire on a turn follows a tighter circle so if the turn radius is off you're dragging one tire through the turn
 

Knuckle Dragger

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Back in the day quite a few guys could tweak one out so they drove straight though there were some issues but we can't get away with this in the collision repair biz anymore. With caster not quite right the turn radius would be off. Maybe some tire scrub in the turns that takes awhile to see on the tire. Not only are you looking for "within spec" you're looking for side to side comparisons. Minimum spec on one side and max specs on the other is a few degrees.

I used to fix stuff all the time the previous tech said was OK because the numbers were green on the screen. Back in the day I made a fortune on these trucks after I made my reputation for getting them to drive straight. Time and give a damn is all it really takes. LOL
 

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I used to fix stuff all the time the previous tech said was OK because the numbers were green on the screen. Back in the day I made a fortune on these trucks after I made my reputation for getting them to drive straight. Time and give a damn is all it really takes. LOL

I did too, on the collision side. I worked at a body shop that was a reinspect facility for a couple major insurance companies. Cars that other shops fixed that had been returned to customers that there issues with. Some really butchered up stuff came through there. Relocated control arm mounting holes with washers welded over them etc. They always gave me these problem cars with the bad repairs and goofy drivability issues to fix. Imagine getting your car back, you're not happy, it goes to another shop, and it totals out. lol A few did. In which case the Ins Co's pursued the previous shop.

I was that guy, becoming not very popular in town, and was possibly becoming un-employable should I need another job. I had to go.
 

Trenton

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LOL I'm not talking about the distance it takes to turn your truck around. The inside tire on a turn follows a tighter circle so if the turn radius is off you're dragging one tire through the turn

Oh! Lol It's not too bad, the caster is the same on both sides. It does chirp a tad on tight turns, but not too bad.
 

east302

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Usually there is some type of reason the knockouts need removed.

Quick sidebar- would torsion bar crank necessitate knockout removal?

Last alignment shop did that on mine, previous owner had cranked the bars for probably an inch increase in height but I haven’t compared it to the factory z-height spec.
 

df2x4

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Quick sidebar- would torsion bar crank necessitate knockout removal?

Last alignment shop did that on mine, previous owner had cranked the bars for probably an inch increase in height but I haven’t compared it to the factory z-height spec.

Yes. I had to do the knockouts on my Suburban many years ago after cranking it up about 2" to clear some larger wheels and tires. (Thank god those are long gone)
 

letitsnow

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Quick sidebar- would torsion bar crank necessitate knockout removal?

Last alignment shop did that on mine, previous owner had cranked the bars for probably an inch increase in height but I haven’t compared it to the factory z-height spec.

I cranked mine up about an inch, and it didn't need the knock outs removed.
 
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